Holder for condiment jars



1953 J. R. T. BISHOP ETAL HOLDER FOR CONDIMENT JARS Filed Dec. 30, 1950 ATTORNEY:

Patented Oct. 6, 1953 2,654,485 HOLDER FOR CONDIMENT JARS James R. T. Bishop, Chicago, and Donald E.

Swanson, Evanston, Ill., assignors to International Minerals & Chemical Corporation, a

corporation of New York Application December 30, 1950, Serial No. 203,675

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a rack or holder adapted to hold one or more bottles or jars for.

condiments, spices, and the like.

Besides the features of simple construction and low manufacturing cost, the holder is distinguished by the ready accessibility of the bottles for use even though the bottles may be withdrawn only in an upward and slightly forward direction. This lock-in feature secures the bottles against accidental dislodgement from the rack or holder.

The novel construction provides a very light, strong, rigid, and durable frame. The rack is preferably constructed in one piece of material having rigidity, such as metal, e. g., aluminum, tin plate, lightweight alloys, and the like; plastics, e. g., methyl methacrylate resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin, phthalic anhydride-polyhydric alcohol resins, and the like.

The rack is adapted to receive irregularly shaped jars. By irregular shape is meant particularly jars which do not have parallel sides.

While in its broader aspect the invention is capable of embodiment in different forms, the accompanying drawings illustrate the holders in two preferred embodiments in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a rack adapted to hold a multiplicity of condiment jars.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the holder of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of a rack adapted specifically to hold a single jar and for suspension by means of screws, or the like.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the rack of Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral Ill indicates a unitary rack having a back or leg portion II, an inclined front face I2, and an upwardly and forwardly directed lip portion I3. Front face I2 is provided with one or more apertures I4 adapted to receive a condiment jar or jars, in this instance of circular cross section and longitudinally tapered. Apertures I4 have a shape which is an orthographic projection of a downwardly and forwardly directed or inclined section of said condiment jar. Lip I3 diverges from front face I2 sufficiently to accommodate the base of the condiment jar in a horizontal position. Lip I3, in addition, extends upwardly at least to a point higher than the horizontal level of the bottom of apertures I4.

Back portion II is further provided with slots I5 which may, if desired, be utilized to set behind the head of suitable wall attachment means, such as screws, to enable the rack to be suspended from a vertical wall.

This rack may, in addition, he placed upon a table or similar support. When the holder is set in proper position, it gives a solid support having the one unhindered path for positioning a jar or shaker in the rack, and for removing said shaker from the rack; namely, upwardly and forwardly. When the jar or shaker is resting in the rack, the forward portion of the bottom of the jar contacts the lower portion of face I2 while an upper point at the rear of the jar contacts an upper portion of face I2. This results in the weight of the jar and its contents always acting about the lower contact point as a pivot to keep the jar seated in the opening formed by the aperture and tending to maintain the jar'in contact with the upper portion of face I2.

In another modification illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, there is shown a rack which is specifically adapted to be secured to a wall or other vertical surface by screws and the like. This rack comprising a back section 20, an intermediate section 2I, an inclined front face or wall 22 connected at its top through intermediate section 2| to back section 20, and an upwardly and forwardly directed lip portion 23.

As in the modification illustrated in Figure 1, the front face 22 is provided with an aperture 24 which has a shape which is an orthographic projection of a forwardly and downwardly inclined section through the condiment jar. Lip 23 diverges from front wall 22 sufliciently to accommodate the base of the condiment jar in a horizontal position and upwardly to a point at least higher than the bottom of said aperture.

Back section 20 is provided with ports 25 for the passage through the wall of suitable securing means such as nails, screws, and the like. From the back ofinclined front face 22 there projects legs 26 secured together for rigidity by a cross bar 21. When this rack of Figures 3 and 4 is secured to a vertical wall, legs 26 contact the wall to provide a solid base for the condiment jar, the legs eliminating any tendency for the projecting front face 22 to act as a free swinging lever. Where desired, support members for more'than one jar may be provided with suitable reinforcing ribs, as illustrated at 28 in Figures 1 and 2. Similarly, the multi-apertured design of Figures 1 and 2 may be one or two apertures, but with the structural configuration of Figures 3 and 4.

From the above description it will be readily apparent that the angle of inclination of apertured front walls and the angle of inclination of the section through a bottle are both subject to variation over a considerable range although the angle of both must be integrated in such manner that at least two points of contactare maintained; namely, one at the base and forward of the axial center of the Jar, and one at a point in the rear of the Jar and appreciably removed from the base. Further, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that should the face be of metal, the punchings which are forced rearwardly to form the apertures may be utilized as leg support members.

Having thus fully described and illustrated the character of the invention, what is desired to be secured and claimed by Letters Patent is:

1. A holder adapted to lockingly support an irregularly shaped article with its longitudinal axis in vertical position solely by means of the contacted face, said holderv comprising a front face, support means positioning said front face at a rearwardly inclination, and an aperture in said front face which is an orthographic projection of a forwardly and downwardly inclined section through said article.

2. A holder adapted to lockingly support an irregularly shaped article with the longitudinal axis thereof in vertical position solely by means of the contacted face, said holder comprising a front face, support means positioning said front face at a rearwardly inclination, an aperture in said front face which is an orthographic projection of a forwardly and downwardly inclined section through said article, and a lip extending from the bottom of said front face upwardly to a point forwardly displaced from said face and higher than the bottom of said aperture.

3. A holder adapted to lockingly support an irregularly shaped article with the longitudinal axis in vertical position solely by means of the contacted face, said holder comprising upwardly extending converging front and back portions spaced apart at their lower ends, said front portion having a rearwardly inclination, an aperture in said front portion which is an orthographic projection of a forwardly and downwardly inclined section through said article, and a lip extending from the bottom of said front portion upwardly to a point forwardly displaced from 4 said face and higher than the bottom of said aperture.

4. A holder adapted to lockingly support an irregularly shaped article with the longitudinal axis in vertical position solely by means of the contacted face, said holder comprising a rear wall provided with a pair of small openings, a front face connected at its top to said rear wall and supported at a rearwardly inclination, rearwardly directed legs extending from said front face to a point in the plane of said rear wall, an aperture in said front face which is an orthographic projection of a forwardly and downward- 1y inclined section through said article, and a lip extending from the bottom of said front portion upwardly to a point higher than the bottom of said aperture.

5. A holder adapted to lockingly support an irregularly shaped article with the longitudinal axis in vertical position solely by means of the contacted face, said holder comprising upwardly extending converging front and back portions spaced apart at their lower ends, said'front portion having a rearwardly inclination, a plurality of apertures in said front portion, each extending substantially the full length of said front portion and having a configuration which is an orthographic projection of a downwardly and forwardly inclined section through the article, and a lip extending upwardly from the bottom of said front portion to a point above the bottom of said apertures, the upwardly projecting portion being removed sufficiently from the bottom of the aperture to accommodate the bottom of said articles in horizontal positions.

JAMES R. T. BISHOP. DONALD E. SWANSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,684,124 Burgess Sept. 11, 1928 1,823,729 Bussey Sept. 15, 1931 2,168,063 Everson Aug. 1, 1939 2,296,700 Branstetter et a1. Sept. 22, 1942 

